Top three title favourites at WTA Finals 2024

Top eight ranked players, including defending champion Iga Swiatek, will compete in the WTA Finals 2024.

The WTA Finals is back yet again as eight of the best women’s tennis players are set to lock horns for the ultimate prize! The WTA Finals 2024 promises to be an exciting and tight one as some of the best women’s singles stars will take on each other, starting on November 2, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The top eight seeds will compete in this competition. They include the current top seed Aryna Sabalenka, reigning Roland Garros winner Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Zheng Qinwen and current Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at the top three players who are best shaped to win the title.

Title favourites at WTA Finals 2024

3. Elena Rybakina

In a tournament where nobody is guaranteed a top four slot, Elena Rybakina could turn out to be a wildcard with the Kazakh entering the competition as an underdog majorly as she has been out of action due to injury recently.

Seeded fifth, Rybakina is currently in a pool wherein she would favour her chances. Apart from Iga Swiatek, she would have to contend with Jasmine Paolini and Qinwen Zheng, with the other group being the more competitive one.

Also Read: Elena Rybakina hires Goran Ivanisevic as coach ahead of WTA Finals 2024

Rybakina has a 4-2 head-to-head lead over the former world #1 Iga Swiatek and a 2-0 lead over Qinwen Zheng, who she recently beat at the China Open in 2023.

Despite having lost to Paolini at the 2024 Wimbledon final, Rybakina’s strong serving and ruthless forehand winners make her a serious contender. Barring any fitness issues, the 2022 Wimbledon champion could make a huge statement at the 2024 WTA Finals in Riyadh.

2. Iga Swiatek

Having been dethroned from the number one spot a few weeks back, the five-time Grand Slam winner enters the competition with a point to prove. Iga Swiatek is the defending champion, and she would hope to defend her crown and regain the number one ranking which is up for grabs.

After a heartbreaking loss in the semi-final of the Paris Olympics, Swiatek was eliminated by Jessica Pegula in the quarterfinals of the US Open, thereby inviting questions over the Polish’s game on non-clay courts. One look at her pool is enough to suggest that Swiatek should comfortably sail her way through to the knockouts.

Moreover, the defending champion has a 59-8 record this year with four out of five titles coming on hard courts this year. The Polish boasts an impressive record of 29-5 on hard courts but the margin reduces to 9-4 against the top 10.

Also Read: WTA Finals 2024: Meet the eight contenders and their path to qualification

1. Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka began the year triumphantly, winning her maiden Australian Open title, only to be sidelined shortly after by a serious shoulder injury. Despite the setback, her return has been nothing short of remarkable. In a rapid turnaround, she clinched the Cincinnati Open by defeating Iga Swiatek in the final and, only weeks later, seized the US Open title with a victory over Jessica Pegula.

Also Read: How many titles has Aryna Sabalenka won in 2024?

By doing so, she surpassed Swiatek to become the new World No. #1. The Belarusian now enters Riyadh with hopes of keeping her top spot and is placed in a tricky pool as she would have to contend with arch-nemesis Coco Gauff, her US Open finalist Jessica Pegula and reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.

However, Aryna Sabalenka’s skill on hard courts and her capacity to rise to the occasion in high-stakes moments make her a strong contender not only to advance to the knockout stages but also to potentially win the tournament title and end the year on a high.

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